"He has taken me to the banquet house and his banner over me is love. Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love," SOS 2:4-5.

The Bride is enjoying the wedding table of her beloved. He is the delight of her heart. She is lovesick ~ faint with love. She is hungry for more of Him! His love strengthens her and gives her refreshment.

The idea of a wedding table brings my heart such joy. My husband, Greg, and I were able to bless our daughters with weddings they each dreamed about. The best part was the feasting at the wedding table! This "banquet house" can be translated as the house of wine because it refers to the celebration of God's love. I would say that a wedding reception could be called the "house of wine" because it is such a great celebration of the love of the couple. Greg and I loved celebrating~ dancing, feasting, laughing, connecting with friends & family~ the HOUSE OF WINE is for me such a wonderful picture of a wedding celebration. We are called to feast at God’s banqueting table. The fulfillment of this ultimately occurs at the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev.19:7). What a day that will be!!!!

The Bride is under her beloved's banner of love, celebrating their love at the banquet table. In the ancient world, an army would march in battalions under a specific flag or banner. Each unit had their own banner that was meant to clearly identify them. The banner over our life that identifies who we are and where we are going in our life is Jesus’ loving leadership that leads us to grow in love and in our identity as His Bride. We are created to live lovesick for God! This is our destiny. This causes us to have deep and even painful feelings of love and longing for more of Jesus. When we touch this, we can never go back to “business as usual” in our walk with God. We are ruined for "normal".

Jesus manifests His banner of leadership over us in various ways:1) His banner over us is His loving kindness. When we fail, the banner over our life is confidence in His mercy, not the fear of being rejected by God. We confess, “His banner over me is love, even when I fail.” 2) His banner over us speaks of His ability to overrule the negative circumstances in our life by working everything for our good (Rom. 8:28). The banner over us is His goodness in that we are not neglected by God. He has not forgotten or abandoned us. 3) The banner over us is to be exhilarated in God’s love instead of being deceived with the false comfort of this age. There is great confusion in many because they think His banner over their life is comfort in this age. Jesus’ goal in His leadership over us is to lead us in a way that reveals His love to us as well as imparting it in us. He is determined that we grow in love, meekness, and revelation. God’s plan and first priority for our life is much bigger than our comfort or our function in ministry here in this age.

Confessions for you to declare over your life (even if you don't feel it, do it out of obedience, knowing these confessions please the Lord): I am lovesick for Jesus! He has taken me to His banqueting House where I feast on His love! Jesus, Your banner over me is LOVE!